Rotary internal-combustion engine.



SgP. TIERNEY ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGlNE APPLICATION FILED JAN-.22. 1916- Patented Feb. 13,1917.

I Tierney STATES PA SHELBY P; TIERNEY, o

r-ENT OFFICE.

r Mascara, AnIz'oNA.

ROTARY INTEBNAL-COMBUSEI ION ENGINE.

. specification.

This invention relates to rotary internal combustion engines, the object in view being to produce a simp'le, eflicient and bowerful light weight engine of the class re erred to whieh'embodies in connection with a rotor" havingblades, a. rotor chamber, an explosion or combustion chamber, and a valve control- Jm'gthe communication between the explosion and rotor chambers and also acting as a circuit closer for the ignition system, the arrangement being such that the valve opens to admit thecarhureted air under pressure :from the explosion chamber to the rotor chamber and simultaneously a spark is created in the explosion chamber by the closing of the ignition circuit effected by the openingmovement of said valve. 1 With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel consti'uction,-combination and arrangement of parts, as herein described, illustrated and claimed. In the accompanying drawings lfiigure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through an engine embodying the present invention.

[ ig 2 a horizontal seetion on the line 2 of Fig. 1 loolcing downwardly, Fig. 3'is a fragmentary side elevationof the engine.

The present invention contemplates the use of a stationary rotor; casing 1 in which there is arranged a rotor the body of which" is represented at 2, said rotor being provided on the periphery thereof-With blades 3 whichpreferably extend in a radial direc- -tion with respect to the shaft 4 of the rotor,

(aid shaft being heads. of the rotor easing; h The rotor casing 1 is extended to form. an explosionor combustion chamber 5 through the head 6 of which extends an igniter 7 shown in the form of a spark plug. The explosion chamber also has associated there with an inlet valve chamber 8 in which arranged an automatic inlet valve 9, 10 desj ignating the intake pipe for the carbureted air'which is forced through the intake 10 and past the valve 9 into the explosion iournaled in the opposite bureted Specification of Letters 1: tent. Patented Feb, 13, 19] 7. Application nlc'dl-Tanuary 22, 1916. erial-ll'o. 73,709.

chamber!) under pressure by'means of an 1 air compressor shown as embodying a cylinder 1] containingapiston, the connecting rod 12 of which is actuated by a crank whed 13 drivrn by the rotor or the air compressor, a pipe .14 carries the compressed air .intoa pressure tank licon:

taming gasolene or other liquid fuel, 10,

representing the pipe which leads from the pressure tank 15 to the engine and forms the engine izitake pipe. I

The main valve is indicated at 16 and when closed, serves to cut olf connnl'lniciu tion bet seen the explosion chamber 5 and the Polo chamber formed by. the casing 1. The vah c 16 may be perfectly (lat. as shown and is n ounted in fixed relation to a valve stem or aha-ft [7 which is journaled in openings in the'opposite side walls of the explosion chamber-and which projects atone end beyond said chamber where it has fastened thereto a movable into and out of contact with a circuit con zact finger l9 forn'ling the other terminal of an electrical ignition circuit by means of which a spark is created at the inner end of'the igniter plug 7 just as the valve 16 opens to allow the charge of earrirunder pressure to enter the retor cham' )er. The opening movement'of the valve 16 is limited by one or. more stops, 20.

The free end of the valve 16 comes in con- .tact with or seats against an extension 21 at the in ictionof the explosion chamber 5 and. the-rotor chambelz 22 represents the exhaust pipe which leads 'olf tangentially from the rotor casing at a pointabout diaits' shaft. From circuit closing arm '18 which is metrically opposite from the explosion chamber 1 In voperation, the carbureted air, gas or thejlike is forced by predeterminedpressure derived from the pressure tank through the intake pi'ie 10 into the explosion or combustion chamber 5 where it: is trapped between th inlet valve 9 held for example under i301 pounds pressure and the main valve 16. Then the pressure becomes sufliciently high to overcome the sprin 23, the valve l6 i caused to open thereby' ringing the conta taru 18 against the contact fin r 19 and rinsing thecircnit of the ignition system. '.This produces spark in'the explosion chamber, the charge ignited and in expanding closes the intake valve 9-. and pl6SS( s against the blades of the rotor.

impartinga rotary motion 'to thelatter;

jn essure iii theft-an]; 15, said chamber 5 again beglnslo fill \vlth fresh 1n1xtu're. In

view (if-the fact that the opening controlled by the val e16 is quite large it IS -hotpossi-r ble to quickly fill the same-.by the incoming'mixture passing through the pipe 9 and therefore there isnot sui'licientpressure to holdthe valve 16 open. Just as-soon asthe, pressure of the burned gases falls belowthe pressure exerted by the spring 23, the valve 16" will start to'elose on account of thesmall alami y at the .lz lle Then .owhenl the a chamber 5' is filled with mixture under compresslon, thespr1ng'23 1s overcome and the valve 10 swings to an open position preparatory to again vigniting the mixture in the same manner and with the same result as prev ously descr bed.

A- rota'ry internal combustion engine embodyi'ng, in comblnatlon, a rotor 'provnfled with blades on its-periphery, a stationary rotor easing, an explosion chamber arranged to discharge into the rotorirasm'g t'angem l'ially of the rotor, a hinged valve separat- 4-5; mg the rotor 'aslng' from the explosion chamber, a valve stem bearing a fix'edrelation-to said valve andextending through a wall ofthe explos on ehan ben 'an i, r1 n"t"ion (EIICIlIt-GlOSHIg arm fast on said Valt'e S'tem, in circuit contact m the path of saldanng and means for holding "said ,valve elose'd \yith a predetermined pressure.

' In testimony whereof I affix'my signature" 1 in presence of two witnesses.

fitness es I D. L. Rouse,

ROBT.-C.' Sarrrn.

SHELBYP; nee-Nee 

